Smallwood was a popular homegrown player who gave his all for the team when selected but it can’t be argued that he’s been missed.

Boro are well-stocked for hard-working, mobile, tough-tackling engine room operators and, had he stayed, Smallwood would have found himself on the fringes of the matchday 18.

Steele was my pick and it would have been interesting to see how we would have performed behind the current, stingy defence if he’d been given the same opportunity afforded to Tomas Mejias at the start of the season.

Still contracted to Boro, he’s arguably the best keeper on the books.

But, by many fans, he is still being judged on his displays in the early stages of last season - when the defence in front of him was all over the place.